15 Bible Verses about Riots

And all the synagogue were filled with rage, when they heard these things, and they rose up and drove Him out of the city, and dragged Him to the brow of the hill, on which their city was built, in order to throw Him down the precipice. But He passed through the midst of them, and went away.

Now there happened at that time no small disturbance about the way which he taught. For one Demetrius, a silver-smith, who made silver models of Diana's temple, brought no small gain to the artificers: whom he got together, and with them the workmen they employed about such things, and said, My friends, ye know that by this employment we get our wealth.read more.
And ye see and hear, that not only at Ephesus, but in almost all Asia, this Paul hath persuaded and perverted many people, saying, that they are no gods which are made by hands. So that we are not only in danger of this, that the business we follow will come to nothing; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana will be despised; and her magnificence destroyed, whom all Asia and the whole world worshippeth. Hearing this and being filled with rage, they cried out, saying, Great is Diana of the Ephesians. And the whole city was filled with confusion: and they rushed with one accord into the theatre, dragging with them Gaius and Aristarchus two Macedonians, fellow-travellers with Paul. And when Paul would have gone in unto the people, the disciples would not let him. And some also of the chief men of Asia, being his friends, sent to him and desired him not to venture himself into the theatre. Some therefore cried one thing, and some another; for the assembly was confused, and the greater part did not know for what they were come together. And they brought Alexander forward out of the multitude, the Jews urging him on. And Alexander beckoning with the hand, would have made a defence to the people. But when they knew that he was a Jew, they all cried out with one voice, for near two hours, Great is Diana of the Ephesians.

in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings;

But the chief priests and elders persuaded the common people to ask for Barabbas, and so to destroy Jesus. And the governor said to them, Which of the two would you have me release to you? and they said, Barabbas. What shall I do then, saith Pilate, with Jesus, who is called Christ? They all cried out, Let Him be crucified.read more.
And the governor said, Why, what evil hath He done? but they cried out the more, saying, Let Him be crucified. Pilate seeing that he prevailed nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, took water and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just man, look ye to it:

Now at the feast he used to release to them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired: and there was one Barabbas under confinement with some of his accomplices in sedition, who had committed murder in the insurrection. And the people clamoured and desired him to do as he always used to do for them.read more.
But Pilate answered them, saying, Would ye have me release to you the king of the Jews? (for he knew that the chief priests had delivered Him up to him out of envy:) but the chief priests incited the people to desire that he would rather release Barabbas to them. And Pilate answered, and said to them again, What then would you have me do with Him, whom ye call king of the Jews? And they cried out again, Crucify Him. But Pilate said unto them, Why, what ill has He done? And they cried out the more vehemently, Crucify Him. So Pilate being willing to ingratiate with the multitude, released Barabbas to them, and having scourged Jesus, delivered Him up to be crucified.

Now Stephen being full of grace and power, wrought miracles and great signs among the people. But there rose up some of the synagogue, which is called that of the libertines, and some of the Cyrenians, and of the Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia, and Asia, to dispute with Stephen: and they were not able to resist the wisdom and spirit by which he spake.read more.
Then they suborned men to say, we heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God. And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes; and they came upon him, and forced him along with them, and brought him to the council: and they set up false witnesses; who said, This man is continually speaking blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law. For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and change the rites which Moses delivered to us.

But the unbelieving Jews being filled with envy, collected some loose profligate fellows, and making a tumult set all the city in an uproar: and assaulting Jason's house, they sought for them in order to bring them out to the populace. But not finding them, they dragged Jason and some of the brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, these men that have turned the world upside down, are come hither also, and Jason has privately received them. And they all act contrary to the decrees of Cesar, saying, there is another king, one Jesus.read more.
And they alarmed the people, and the rulers of the city upon hearing these things: but they taking security of Jason and the rest, let them go.

But when the seven days were near ended, the Jews that came from Asia seeing him in the temple, raised a tumult among the people, and laid hands on him, crying out, Men of Israel, help: this is the man that teaches all men every where against the people of the Jews, and the law, and this sacred place? and besides, hath brought Greeks too into the temple, and polluted this holy place. (For they had before seen Trophimus the Ephesian in the city with him, whom they thought Paul had brought into the temple.)read more.
And the whole city was moved, and there was a concourse of the people: and they laid hold on Paul, and dragged him out of the temple; and immediately the gates were shut. And as they were going to kill him, a report came to the tribune of the cohort, that all Jerusalem was in an uproar: who immediately took soldiers and centurions, and ran down to them. And when they saw the chiliarch and the soldiers, they left off beating Paul. Then the commanding officer came near and took him, and ordered him to be bound with two chains; and inquired, who he was, and what he had done. But some in the croud bawled out one thing and some another: and as he could not know the certainty for the tumult, he commanded him to be carried into the castle. And when he was upon the stairs, he was even borne by the soldiers, because of the violence of the people.

Now the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people were then assembled together into the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas: and were consulting how they might take Jesus by treachery and put Him to death. But they said, Not on the feast-day, least there should be a tumult among the people.

Now the feast of the passover and unleavened bread was within two days: and the chief priests and the scribes were contriving how they might seize Him by treachery and put Him to death. But they said, Not on the feast-day, least there be a tumult of the people.

And when the Secretary had appeased the multitude, he said, Ye men of Ephesus, what man is there who doth not know that the city of the Ephesians is devoted to the service of the great goddess Diana, and of the image which fell down from Jupiter? Since therefore these things are incontestible, ye ought to be quiet and composed, and to do nothing rashly. For ye have brought these men hither, who are neither robbers of temples, nor blasphemers of your goddess.read more.
If Demetrius therefore, and the artificers that are with him, have a charge against any one, the law-courts are open, and there are Roman proconsuls likewise: let them implead one another. But if ye are enquiring any thing about other matters, let it be decided in a lawful assembly: for we are in danger of being charged with sedition for what has happened this day, there being no cause by which we can give a reason for this concourse. And when he had said these things, he dismissed the assembly.

For having found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ring-leader of the sect of the Nazarenes, and attempting to profane the temple, we apprehended him, and would have judged him according to our law. But Lysias the tribune came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands, commanding his accusers to come unto thee:read more.
from whom thou mayst thyself by examining him come to the knowledge of all these things of which we accuse him." And the Jews also assented, saying, that these things were so. Then Paul, when the governor permitted him to speak, answered in this manner, "As I know that thou hast been many years a judge to this nation, I do the more chearfully answer for myself: because thou mayst know, that there are not more than twelve days since I went up to worship at Jerusalem: and they neither found me disputing with any one in the temple, or making sedition among the people, neither in the synagogues, nor in the city:

Let us behave decently as being in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lasciviousness, not in strife and envying.

The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

who account it a pleasure to riot even in the day; spots and disgraces; revelling in their frauds, while they partake of your feasts: